Help at
every step
Patients who need an artificial hip or knee joint are faced with a major operation, lengthy treatment and many uncertainties. To increase the chances of success and reduce the costs for health insurance companies, Asklepios is breaking new ground – and supporting patients throughout their treatment.
From the GP to the specialist, from the specialist to the hospital, from there to rehabilitation and then to home aftercare – anyone facing a major operation usually passes through numerous stations and meets a different contact person each time. To support patients in this process, Asklepios has been offering a new form of care for total knee and hip arthroplasty throughout Germany since July 2023.
A central contact person, the case manager, supports the entire course of treatment for 13 months and keeps track of all medical information. They take care of appointments, ensure smooth transitions and monitor the success of treatment. At the same time, the patients are supported digitally by the teletherapy centre via an app. It supports them before and after the operation with video instructions and video consultations with trusted doctors.
“We are pioneers in this seamless and digitally supported form of treatment,” says Dr Benedikt Simon, Chief Officer for Integrated and Digital Care at Asklepios, “because we are certain that this is the future of healthcare.”
Let’s accompany a patient on this new path to an artificial hip joint.
Diagnosis of hip osteoarthritis
If all conservative treatments for osteoarthritis of the hip joint have been exhausted, the only option is usually surgery. Once this decision has been made, the Asklepios case manager will contact the patient or their GP a month before the surgery date to prepare them for the operation and introduce them to the teletherapy centre app.
- Case manager:
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New treatment pathway
Pre-existing conditions can affect the operation. Therefore all medication must be adjusted correctly so that the patients are best prepared for the procedure.
Advantages
- Improved chances of recovery
- Contact with GP
- Check on pre-existing conditions
Operation
The implantation of an artificial joint is one of the standard treatments for hip osteoarthritis and generally takes one to two hours. The hip can start to bear some weight again on the day of the operation and the first exercises can be started. The aim is to reduce the hospital stay from the current eight days to five.
- Case manager:
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New treatment pathway
The patient’s well-being is checked immediately and seamless mobilisation of the operated joint is ensured, which goes beyond the previous treatment.
Advantages
- Improved chances of recovery
- Quicker recovery
- Seamless care
- Quality check
Getting moving
The aim of rehabilitation is to strengthen the muscles and learn how to use the new joint. Rehabilitation normally lasts around three weeks. During this phase, the case manager also contacts the patient and asks how they are feeling.
- Case manager
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New treatment pathway
The case manager maintains contact between the operating clinic and the patient.
Advantages
- Avoidance of waiting times
- Seamless care
- Connection between hospital and rehabilitation clinic
- Harmonised care concepts
- Quality check
Getting back on your feet
Over the following months, the body continues to get used to the new joint. It is now particularly important to continuously increase performance in order to get out of the pain-induced resting posture. Sport is once again possible without restrictions and you can return to a healthy everyday life.
- Case manager:
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New treatment pathway
Patients receive a customised treatment plan via the app. This allows them to carry out their aftercare flexibly, independently and from any location.
Advantages
- Independent mobilisation regardless of time and place
- Link between rehab and outpatient care
- Feedback on the ongoing success of treatment
- Long-term aftercare
- Follow-up of a successful recovery
- Quality check
The path is worthwhile
“Our patients are very satisfied with the new treatment pathway, as our regular surveys show,” says Dr Benedikt Simon, Chief Officer for Integrated and Digital Care at Asklepios. “We also compare the feedback from patients who have undergone surgery with the treatment success of patients without a case manager. This allows us to impressively demonstrate that we have found a better way for everyone involved.” The health insurance companies are also impressed by the new concept, as the continuous care of patients and the new digital options reduce sick leave and therefore also costs.
Dr Benedikt Simon
is Chief Officer for Integrated and Digital Care at Asklepios. He is responsible for the development of digital concepts for integrated patient care, which also includes telemedical and app-based care.